Gillian Flynn to write updated version of 'Hamlet'

Who’s there? Why, it’s Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn with a new version of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Flynn will write a novel based on Hamlet for Hogarth Shakespeare, as part of an international publishing initiative across the Penguin Random House Group that presents retellings of The Bard’s tales by some of today’s best-known writers.

“Hamlet has long been a fascination of mine: murder, betrayal, revenge, deceit, madness – all my favorite things,” Flynn said in a press release. “Add to that some of Shakespeare’s most intriguing, curious characters – from the titular brooding prince to rueful Ophelia – and what (slightly cheeky) writer wouldn’t be tempted to reimagine it?”

Other writers who have joined include Margaret Atwood (The Tempest), Tracy Chevalier (Othello), Howard Jacobson (The Merchant of Venice), Jo Nesbø (Macbeth), Anne Tyler (The Taming of the Shrew), and Jeanette Winterson (The Winter’s Tale). The series will launch to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death in 2016.

A specific publication date for Flynn’s contribution to the series, as well as details of how she plans to update the story, have not yet been announced. But what are the odds her version starts like this?